...Shukan Bunshun reported in its Feb. 16 issue (on sale Thursday) that the 44-year-old mother of Minami Takahashi (20), a leading member of the idol group AKB48, had been arrested on suspicion of having sex with a 15-year-old boy.
Caught in the middle: Minami Takahashi (center) poses with fellow members of the AKB48 spinoff group No Sleeves, Haruna Kojima (left) and Minami Minegishi (right).
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fd20120212a1.html
The woman was arrested in mid-January, and by the time the story broke a court had already handed down a ruling of sex with a minor — fining her a mere ¥500,000. Having sex with a minor is considered statutory r*** in Japan.
It has been suggested that the punishment was so light because the boy himself had "aggressively seduced" the woman, and allegedly she reluctantly agreed to have sex with him.
Following the Shukan Bunshun article, the topic was picked up on the Internet by bloggers and Twitter users who were quick to point out the lack of media coverage the story was getting. Some even suggested that the advertising revenue generated by AKB48 may have been enough reason to keep sections of the media quiet — AKB48 appears in countless advertisements for many products.
One of those critical of the Japanese mass media's response to the incident is columnist and tarento critic Akio Nakamori — who is also credited with being the first to report on the world of otaku, back in 1983.
"...the current media refrain from reporting such cases involving [celebrities belonging to the talent agency] Johnny's and AKB, and bash all other celebrities."
Caught in the middle: Minami Takahashi (center) poses with fellow members of the AKB48 spinoff group No Sleeves, Haruna Kojima (left) and Minami Minegishi (right).
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fd20120212a1.html
The woman was arrested in mid-January, and by the time the story broke a court had already handed down a ruling of sex with a minor — fining her a mere ¥500,000. Having sex with a minor is considered statutory r*** in Japan.
It has been suggested that the punishment was so light because the boy himself had "aggressively seduced" the woman, and allegedly she reluctantly agreed to have sex with him.
Following the Shukan Bunshun article, the topic was picked up on the Internet by bloggers and Twitter users who were quick to point out the lack of media coverage the story was getting. Some even suggested that the advertising revenue generated by AKB48 may have been enough reason to keep sections of the media quiet — AKB48 appears in countless advertisements for many products.
One of those critical of the Japanese mass media's response to the incident is columnist and tarento critic Akio Nakamori — who is also credited with being the first to report on the world of otaku, back in 1983.
"...the current media refrain from reporting such cases involving [celebrities belonging to the talent agency] Johnny's and AKB, and bash all other celebrities."